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History does not repeat itself, idiotic humans do. Periods of tolerance, understanding, embracing knowledge, and education, as well as an infatuation with science as exemplified by the court of Alfonso, are quickly followed by periods of ethnic 'purity', intolerance, embracing ignorance...
The Camino is a wonderful experience, one which can be enriched with just a slight bit of reading and knowledge - history, art, or architecture never hurt anyone. Many pilgrims, especially inattentive pilgrims not reading their guidebooks or following closely their App have been surprised by the...
Walking the Camino is much more interesting than planning your next albergue or talking with cousin Bill on your cellphone, educational and fun if you know a bit of history, architecture, and art. Saint Bénézet for example, he who built the bridge we all know at Avignon (not Camino) and founded...
A Man stages heart attacks 20 times to avoid paying restaurant bills Ides J. from Lithuania visited several restaurants in Spain before he was arrested and sentenced to 42 days in prison. A man named Ides J. from Lithuania was recently arrested in Spain for repeatedly feigning heart attacks in...
A peek into my garden. The green leaves among the flowers are an absolutely necessary ingredient for caldo português or caldo gallego - verza in Spanish not cabbage not turnip greens rather a European form of collard greens. Look up from your Camino app and you will see it growing in any rural...
Holiday greetings from Jerusalem. I always walked the different Caminos in the Springtime - SJPP, Le Puy, Vezelay, Lisboa, Paris. Not being a very observant Jew I always missed the Passover Feast and happily chomped on French baguettes and bocadillos for several days without knowing the date...
Walking the Camino, any Camino, day blends into day and time is not really important. Before the advent of cell phones, one would often hear, 'What day is today?' For our Jewish Brethren a reminder that tonight at sundown begins our Day of Atonement. גמר חתימה טובה!
I am a Jewish Pilgrim to Saint James, he was one of our boys after all. Retired and began reading medieval history, every arshhole and his brother was on their way to Santiago, died on their way to Santiago, and somehow returned from Santiago. I can do this. The first time walked from Pamplona...
Born and raised in Tampa - left 50 years ago with no desire to return. Jerusalem is somehow, just a bit. slightly more interesting. My Yerba mate gourd? The newest one from Argentina best of the best.
A sad day, a very sad day. First days of May and our first heat wave is about to hit. Ran to the garden and picked the remaining leaves from my berza/couve/collard greens to make the last caldo verde/caldo gallego of the season. They don't like our arid heat. So here it went including the...
Walking the Camino it is so very easy to forget the date, not know which day of the week it is, though we can usually barely manage with what time it may be. A timely reminder for those Jewish Pilgrims on the Camino (far more than you think!). This Wednesday evening. April 5th begins the...
In the Good Old Bad Days when there were no cellphones and pilgrims blissfully walked often not knowing the date or even what day it was. A friend might say that tomorrow he/she will not be starting early and wants to participate in the Sunday Mass which might return some reality. Today, life...
Living in a country where pork is difficult to purchase and chorizo being not so kosher, I fake a chorizo with sliced veal sausage similar to the German weisswurst fried in smoked paprika, garlic and cumin seeds - it works!
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